


fake it till we make it

by bubblepaintx



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Kyoutani Volunteers At An Animal Shelter, M/M, Pining, Protective Kyoutani Kentarou, Slow Burn, Yahaba Shigeru Is Basically A Simp, but is it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:15:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28470720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bubblepaintx/pseuds/bubblepaintx
Summary: “I need you to date me.”“The fuck?”“You heard me.”In which Yahaba really really needs a fake boyfriend and for reasons (un)known he picks Kyoutani.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 50
Kudos: 311





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This got out of hand...I have no regrets.

“I need you to date me.”

“The  _ fuck? _ ”

“You heard me.”

***

_ Note: Takashi is an OC _

“Is this some sort of _ joke?” _

Yahaba has no idea how this happened. When he woke up this morning, the last thing he thought he’d be doing is standing in a dark hallway with his back pressed to the wall, blood rushing in his ears as one of the most terrifying people he’s ever met glares at him with murderous intent.

Yahaba musters up every shred of courage he has.  _ You’re taller than him. You’ve slammed him against a wall. This should be no problem.  _ “Not a joke.”

Yahaba  _ wishes  _ he could laugh it off and run away, but he knows Oikawa would have his ass for that. And if Kyoutani ranks as  _ one  _ of the most terrifying people, Oikawa is  _ the  _ most terrifying person Yahaba has ever encountered. What made it worse is that the flamboyant setter doesn’t even  _ look  _ the part.

_ “Haba-chan, if you really want that pile of alien feces to go away, you’re going to have to take things to the next level! If you don’t, I will have to take things into my own hands.”  _ Yahaba shudders at the memory, deciding that he would rather deal with a scary fake boyfriend than have to deal with Oikawa “taking things into his own hands”.

When Kyoutani’s glare darkens even further, Yahaba resigns himself quietly to his own death.  _ Why did I join the volleyball team; why, oh  _ **_why?_ **

“Explain.”

Yahaba’s eyes snap up to Kyoutani’s. “Wh-what?”  _ He’s going to hear me out? _

Kyoutani growls, and Yahaba’s words fall out of his mouth without any further thought. “It’s not real dating I just need you to pretend to—”

Yahaba hears a noise eerily similar to a snarl and before he knows it Kyoutani’s shadow is gone and Kyoutani is halfway down the hallway.

“Wait! Hear me out!”

Kyoutani just walks faster. Thankfully, Yahaba’s legs are longer. “Hey!”

Kyoutani halts abruptly and turns around, jabbing a finger at Yahaba, who flinches away just in time. “Listen here. I don’t want any part of whatever stupid games you and Oikawa are playin’.”

“How’d you know it was Oik—”

A scoff. “Isn’t it always?”

Yahaba bristles. “No, actually. This is about  _ me _ . And a certain asshole who won’t leave me alone.”

At this, Kyoutani’s glare dims a little. He doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t run either, and Yahaba takes that as permission to continue.

“Look, it’s just—there’s this guy who won’t stop hitting on me, even though I’ve told him to stop multiple times…” Yahaba watches Kyoutani’s expression carefully. “And I, uh, actually, Oikawa, thinks that the only way to get him to go away is if I have a boyfriend.”

Kyoutani stares at Yahaba for a few seconds, causing Yahaba to fidget. “Can’t ya just report him?”

Yahaba waves his hands around. “No, no, I don’t want to do anything drastic.”

“This  _ isn’t  _ drastic?” Kyoutani bites out.

Yahaba sighs. “It doesn’t have to be if you would cooperate.”  _ Shit, I didn’t mean it to come out like that-- _

Kyoutani’s eyes widen a little before they snap back into slits, anger scrunching up Kyoutani’s features. “No thanks.”

“Wait! Sorry, that’s not how I meant to—” Yahaba huffs out another frustrated breath. “Look, please, I’m begging you. I know you don’t like me all that much but this will be temporary.” Yahaba pauses. “Probably.”

Yahaba waits anxiously for an answer, the ridiculousness of the whole situation dawning on him as the seconds tick past.  _ What am I DOING? _

“Why me?”

Yahaba freezes.  _ Why Kyoutani?  _ Yahaba isn’t quite sure, to be truthful. He just knows that when Oikawa told him to fake date someone, Kyoutani’s face was the first to pop into his brain. Now that Yahaba thinks about it, why couldn’t he just ask Watari? Watari would have definitely agreed.

“Oi.”

“Uh—” Yahaba grasps for a reasonable explanation. “Oh! ‘Cause, you’re like, scary.”  _ Yahaba you absolute MORON.  _ “Wait! No, I mean—in a good way! In this case. Damn, I suck…”

Kyoutani leans back a little, mulling over Yahaba’s crappy explanation. “ An’ what do I get out of it?”

Once again, Yahaba is lost for words. “Um…I guess…experience?”

Kyoutani scoffs at that. “ ‘Don’t want your  _ experience. _ ”

Yahaba scoffs back at him. “ _ Okay,  _ well then you get to feel like a good person for helping out a teammate.”

Kyoutani tips his head sideways. “Hm…yeah, I’m good.” With that, he turns as if to leave again, and Yahaba’s hand darts out of its own accord, latching onto Kyoutani’s arm.

“I’ll pay you 10,000 yen.”  _ I didn’t agree to this,  _ Yahaba’s cheapskate side argues.  _ Why did I say that? _

Too late, though, because the offer is out and in the air.

Kyoutani looks shocked for all of one second before the corner of his lips twitch up.  _ Woah, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that,  _ Yahaba marvels. “Deal.”

“I should have known money would be the one thing to motivate you,” Yahaba spits out, words tinged with bitterness directed at himself and something else that he can’t quite pin down.

Kyoutani just shrugs.

“Well I’m not paying you unless you do a good job.”

Kyoutani raises an eyebrow. “ ‘N what’s stoppin’ ya from saying I did a ‘bad job’ jus’ta keep the money?”

Yahaba sniffs. “I would never do that. I’m still a moral person,  _ Kentarou. _ ”

Kyoutani stiffens, visibly taken aback by the name.

“What? Now that we’re  _ dating,  _ ‘should be able to call ya that, right?” Yahaba knows he’s being a little shit, but he can’t bring himself to care. If he’s paying for this, he might as well take advantage of it.

Kyoutani opens his mouth, closes it, and opens it again. “Of course,  _ Shigeru. _ ”

_ Damn, that is  _ not  _ fair.  _ Yahaba scrunches up his nose, his stomach doing weird flips that Yahaba really did  _ not  _ want to investigate.

Kyoutani notices and  _ almost  _ laughs. Yahaba has the fleeting thought that he would really like to see Kyoutani laugh. “You’re the one who started it, dumbass.”

Yahaba tsks and turns away, already overwhelmed by his own mess. “I—we’ll talk about this more tomorrow. I have to go.”

“Whatever.” With that, Kyoutani is gone, with the only sign he had even been talking to Yahaba being the faint scent of something woodsy in the air. Yahaba sighs deeply, shuffling out of the corridor.  _ Great. I even know how he smells. _

***

When Yahaba wakes up the next day, his first thought is, “that was a dream, right?”. There is no way, absolutely  _ no way,  _ that  _ the  _ Kyoutani Kentarou, deity of all things rude and isolation, had  _ agreed  _ to be his fake boyfriend. Yahaba almost laughs aloud as he sits up. His brain sure is a piece of work.

So imagine Yahaba’s surprise when he steps into his first period classroom and sees that Kyoutani, who usually sits in the seat furthest from the teacher and closest to the door, is lounging casually in the seat next to his. Yahaba can practically feel his classmate’s burning gazes on him as he walks cautiously towards Kyoutani, slipping into his seat as quietly as he can.

Kyoutani glances up from his phone and looks at him quietly. “Shigeru.”

Yahaba jolts. “Kyo-Ken- that was  _ real? _ ”

Kyoutani glares at him. “Ya mean yesterday in the hall? Yeah, jerk, that was real.” Kyoutani narrows his eyes at him. “Ya thought it wasn’t?”

Yahaba groans and drops his head onto the table. “I hate myself.”

Kyoutani grunts in response. Yahaba doesn’t dare lift his head to see his expression.

“Hey, Yahaba.” Yahaba’s blood runs cold and his muscles stiffen at the same voice that has been bugging him for weeks now. He stays silent, hoping the man will take the hint and leave.

But then again, when has Takashi  _ ever  _ taken a hint?

Yahaba hears Kyoutani shifts in the seat behind him. The chair squeaks, and Yahaba can picture Kyoutani leaning forward.

“Yahaba, come on, talk to me.”

Silence.

“Why are you being like this?”

Yahaba closes his eyes and presses his nose even closer to the cold wood of his desk.

“Come on, Shiger—” An uncontrollable shudder rolls through his back.  _ His name sounds absolutely vile coming from  _ **him** .

From his left, a deeper voice speaks up. “Don’t call him that.”

Takashi spluttered. “This isn’t any of your business, Kyoutani.”

“It is now.” Yahaba squeezes his eyes shut harder.  _ Make him go away, Kentarou… _

“Come on man, when have you even talked to Yahaba? I just want to tell him something, that’s all.”

“He doesn’t want to hear.” Kyoutani’s voice is pitching lower, and Yahaba reaches out under the table to place his hand on Kyoutani’s knee softly. As he suspected, it had been bouncing up and down uncontrollably.

“He can speak for himself.”  _ Takashi, leave me alone. _

“Just go.” Kyoutani growls, clearly ticked off now.

“Alright listen, who the hell do you think you are? I—”

“His boyfriend.”

It’s so silent in the classroom then that Yahaba can hear his own breathing.

Kyoutani continues like he hadn’t just dropped a verbal bomb, and Yahaba is so relieved he could kiss him. “And who the fuck are you?”

“Wh- bu- what? You’re his what?” Takashi splutters. “Yahaba, is it true?”

“‘I look like I would fucking lie about that?”

“I want to hear it from him.”  _ Fuck you, Takashi. _

Yahaba lifts his head up from the table, slowly. He doesn’t dare look at Kyoutani, and instead turns to the annoying asshole on his right. “Yeah, it’s true.” He reaches over and grabs Kyoutani’s hand. Kyoutani’s hand twitches in his own, but luckily Kyoutani has an impeccable poker face and didn’t even blink.  _ I picked the right guy for this, holy shit. _

Yahaba wonders briefly if Kyoutani has done this before, before writing it off with a mental scoff. As if, this is  _ Kyoutani  _ he’s talking about. He doesn’t think Kyoutani has ever looked at someone romantically, much less dated them. 

“What the  _ fuck. _ ” Takashi shifts his weight from foot to foot, face twisting up. “Of  _ course  _ you would get a boyfriend, when you  _ know  _ how much I care about you--” 

Yahaba can’t help but snort loudly. “Care about me? What a joke, leave me alone.” 

Takashi glares. “Oh you think you’re so high and mighty, don’t you? So much better than me?” 

_ Okay, that one stung a little.  _ Yahaba sneaks a glance at Kyoutani, wondering if he’s thinking the same thing Yahaba is.  _ Kyoutani used to say that a lot.  _

Kyoutani catches his eye, but Yahaba can’t see anything in those golden eyes. 

Meanwhile, Takashi hasn’t slowed down his tirade, much to Yahaba’s unending frustration. “And, of  _ all  _ people,  _ him? _ ” 

What the hell did that mean? Yahaba whips his head to glare at him at this, a burst of protective anger flaring in his chest. “Shut the fuck up.” 

Takashi cuts himself off, surprise evident in his eyes. It’s only there for a second though. “Come on, Yahaba, you’re not seriously telling me you’re actually willingly dating this anti-social asshole?” 

Yahaba has heard quite enough. “ _ Shut up.  _ He’s a better boyfriend than you could  _ ever  _ be. And so what if he doesn’t talk to people? Maybe he just knows that they’re all like  _ you. _ ” Yahaba is full on sneering now, weeks of pent up bitterness spewing out of him. 

He completely forgets to look at Kyoutani, who has been silent until now. 

Takashi splutters some more before sneering back. “Whatever. I don’t know what I ever saw in you.” 

Yahaba snorts. “Good. Someone as screwed up as you would have terrible judgement anyway.” 

Takashi reels back, scoffs, and turns on his heel to march out of the classroom. The second Takashi is out of sight, Yahaba relaxes back into his seat. 

Then, it hits him. 

_ Oh my God. “He’s a better boyfriend”. Why did I  _ say  _ that?  _ Yahaba lets out a loud groan.  _ You could have said “person”, but no, you had to say boyfriend.  _

“So. ‘S him.” 

Yahaba risks a glance at Kyoutani, whose face is as passively angry as usual.  _ Maybe he missed what I said.  _ “Yeah.” 

Kyoutani looks him dead in the eye. “Doesn’t really seem like you need me.” 

Yahaba goes red. “Today was different; usually I just-- ignore him, or something…” 

The faintest shadows of confusion slip onto Kyoutani’s features, and he tilts his head slightly. “What changed?” 

Yahaba really doesn’t want to say it. “I mean, usually he just, like, bothers me. And talks shit about me.” 

Kyoutani nods. “And today?” 

Yahaba  _ really  _ doesn’t want to say it. “Well, I mean,” he gulps, “he was talking shit about you, so…” His voice starts to trail off at the end, but Kyoutani caught what Yahaba had said anyway. 

Yahaba doesn’t get a verbal response. Instead, he gets a cough and a surprisingly shy glance away from him. Yahaba tries to process what he’s seeing.  _ Is he...embarrassed?  _ One glance at Kyoutani’s pink ears answers that for him.

_ That is so fucking cute oh my god.  _

_ Wait. _

Kyoutani clears his throat. “I didn’t ask you to do that, dumbass.” 

Yahaba suppresses a smile at that response, which is just  _ so Kyoutani.  _ “Where’s the gratitude? Geez.” 

He gets a glare at that, and Yahaba leans back in his seat, feeling a little more balanced.  _ This is normal.  _ This, he could handle. 

***

It occurs to Yahaba somewhere between the blurry hours of 1AM to 6AM that maybe he has the tiniest crush on Kyoutani. 


	2. Chapter 2

Yahaba should have known that he would have to suffer the consequences of his lie. And he did, in a way. He just didn’t expect them to be so...ridiculous. 

Thanks to a certain third year, his new relationship is the talk of the school. Yahaba had practically sprinted to the club room for morning practice after he’d initially noticed the lingering stares from his classmates. 

But, even morning practice isn’t safe from Oikawa’s worldly presence and his ever-present fan club. 

“Did you ladies know that my precious kouhai has gotten himself a boyfriend? Yes, I know, it truly is tragic; Haba-chan was going to be a heartthrob like me— ow, Iwa-chan!”

“Shut up shittykawa; you’re being insufferable again.”

Yahaba sighs and slowly backs away from the bickering pair. Another day, another million Oikawa and Iwaizumi spats. Those two really were just like a married couple, he muses to himself. He finds himself shuffling over to Kyoutani, who glances at him. “Hey.” Yahaba greets with another sigh. 

Kyoutani grunts in greeting before turning back to the net, winding up for another serve. 

“Have you...been getting weird looks and stuff?”

Kyoutani pauses and looks over. “What do ya think?”

Yahaba raises his hands up in the air. “Alright, alright. And...you’re okay with it?”

Kyoutani snorts. “I get weird stares anyway. ‘Least these ones aren’t because folks think I broke the law.” 

What. Yahaba gapes, “People think you’ve committed crimes?”

The alleged criminal sighs, having given up on serving, and turns to Yahaba. “Ya don’t?”

Yahaba eyes him strangely. “I usually don’t go around assuming people are criminals, no.” Yahaba pauses. “Maybe it’s because of how you look.”

Kyoutani’s brows pinch together. “‘The hell is wrong with how I look?”

Yahaba rapidly backtracks.  _ Nothing. Absolutely nothing.  _ “Just, I can see how people would think you’re intimidating.” 

Apprehension rises in Yahaba’s stomach when a shadow crosses Kyoutani’s face before it smooths out into a blank expression. “Right. ‘S why you picked me for this stunt, wasn’t it?”

Yahaba had said that, yep. But as Yahaba opened his mouth to agree with him, the words refused to come out. They just felt... _ wrong. _ Yahaba settles for a shrug. 

Kyoutani raises an eyebrow at him. “Whatever.” 

For some reason, his response makes Yahaba’s insides twist up.  _ That’s not what I want him to think. It’s not true.  _

“That’s not the only reason.” Yahaba blurts mindlessly. 

Kyoutani’s raised eyebrow twitches higher. He looks expectantly at Yahaba, waiting for him to continue. 

“Uh--” Yahaba gulps. He can’t tell Kyoutani that he’s inexplicably drawn to him, now can he? 

Kyoutani seems to take Yahaba’s hesitancy the wrong way. “You’re so full of shit.” He grumbles, with no real bite behind the words.

_ “I’m not.”  _ Yahaba insists. “I just can’t...tell you...right now.” 

Kyoutani snorts. “Shit.” 

“It’s not  _ shit _ ,” Yahaba lets out a frustrated huff. How can Kyoutani be so infuriatingly self-deprecating? He acts as if the only reason someone would ever want to talk to him is because of his intimidating demeanor.  _ Oh.  _ Yahaba frowns.  _ Is  _ that the only reason people ever talked to him? 

“Hey, Kentarou.” 

Kyoutani flinches and coughs, sputtering a little. Yahaba forces his lips into a straight line, amused. “What.” 

“Who do you usually hang out with? Y’know, out of practice?” 

Judging by the way Kyoutani’s spine instantly stiffens, Yahaba thinks he might have hit a sore spot. “What’s it to you?” 

“I’m just-- curious. Really. I’m not trying to insinuate anything.” Yahaba’s being serious. He has no idea what Kyoutani is like outside of their Seijoh volleyball bubble, and Yahaba is desperate for more information on his elusive “boyfriend”. 

Kyoutani’s mouth thins into a hard line. “We’re not actually dating, Ya-Shigeru. You don’t have to try and ‘get to know me’ or whatever else this shit is.” 

Yahaba reels back, heart pinching with a mixture of hurt and anger. “I’m not doing it just for  _ that.  _ I-- is it so bad to want to know more about you?” He huffs. “Jerk.”

Kyoutani’s glare lasts all of two seconds before it softens. He has the decency to look the tiniest bit guilty. “Whatever. I just do my own thing.” 

Yahaba blinks. It takes him a second to realize that  _ Oh, he answered my question.  _ In the vaguest, most Kyoutani way possible. “I mean, who are your friends? What’s your circle?” 

Yahaba gets a flat look in response. 

“Wait, you don’t hang out with people?” 

Kyoutani shrugs a shoulder. “People are shitty.” A pause. “You know that.” 

Somehow, Yahaba knows exactly what he’s referring to. “Not all people are like Takashi. Everyone needs friends.” 

Kyoutani grunts. “I have friends.” 

“Well then tell me who!” 

Kyoutani stays silent, fidgeting absentmindedly.  _ He does that a lot,  _ Yahaba notes. Yahaba always knew Kyoutani had endless amounts of pent up energy inside of him, only to be released on the court in the form of powerful serves and wild spikes. But he’d never understood where that energy was coming from; was it hostility, like everyone thought, or...was it anxiety? 

“Come on,” Yahaba urges. “If I’m going to be your fake boyfriend I should at least know who your friends are.” 

A few more agonizing seconds tick by, and Yahaba groans. “Please, Kyoutani.” He sighs. “I just...I don’t know anything about you, okay? You’re so…” He waves wildly in Kyoutani’s direction. “Mysterious. I just want to know more.”

Kyoutani looks at him dubiously. “You don’t even like me.” 

Yahaba groans even louder. “Shut  _ up  _ about that! I do, okay? You’re a good person. Now will you  _ please  _ let me try to be your friend?” Yahaba has no idea where this courage is coming from. This is so unlike him, so contradictory to Yahaba’s relentless pride and unwillingness to bend to anyone he didn’t consider above him. 

At least, Yahaba’s efforts seemed to have knocked Kyotani off guard enough for the gruff boy to blink and nod. “Uh. Fine.” 

Yahaba feels himself grinning, uncontrollably. “Good.” He waits patiently for Kyoutani to finally reveal the answer. 

Kyoutani’s eyes dart around for a few seconds before settling on Yahaba. “Maybe I’ll just show you.” He says, finally.

“What?” 

“I’ll show you.” He repeats. “You free after school?”

Yahaba feels like he’s entered an entirely new dimension. “Are you  _ willingly  _ asking me to hang out with you after school?” 

_ Wait no--  _ Wrong move. 

The guarded look returns to Kyoutani’s eyes.  _ No, no, no, no, _ “Fuckin’--  _ You’re  _ the one who--” 

Panicking, Yahaba punches his shoulder. “Shut up, of course I’ll go.” He blurts as quickly as he can, trying to reverse the damage. 

He almost sags in relief when the defensiveness melts away to make room for Kyoutani’s signature pissed off glare. Kyoutani rubs his shoulder. “Ya didn’t need to sock me, Jesus, Yahaba.” 

“Shigeru.” Yahaba corrects quietly, before slapping a hand over his mouth.  _ Why the hell did I say that?  _ It’s not like anyone around them is listening to their conversation.

He just...really liked hearing Kyoutani say his name.  _ Wow, I’m so fucked. How did this happen?  _ Yahaba wails to himself.  _ I was fine two days ago. Two measly days, and I’m a wreck.  _

“Right.” Kyoutani quips, oblivious to Yahaba’s internal freakout session. 

“Hey, quit flirting and help us clean up! Practice is over!” Watari’s cheery voice cuts through the air, startling Yahaba. He had honest-to-God forgotten about the rest of his team. The sounds of the gym rush back to his ears: Oikawa’s shrill bickering, the ball cart’s wheels squeaking against the floor, the last thuds of last-minute serve practice. 

Then, Watari’s words register in his ears. “We’re not flirting!” Yahaba yells back, a tad unshakily. 

Watari just sticks his tongue out at them, and Yahaba flips him off. 

Kyoutani snorts from behind him. “You’re such a baby.” 

Yahaba turns to him with an offended gasp. “Shut up.” 

This mundane, incredibly boring line elicits a grin from Kyoutani, and Yahaba momentarily forgets how to breathe. “Woa--” 

“ _ SERIOUSLY, STOP FLIRTING.”  _ Watari’s voice booms in his ear, and Yahaba jumps 10 feet into the air. 

“Watari, you  _ ass,”  _ Yahaba turns on his best friend, jabbing a finger into his chest. He doesn’t get very far into his tirade, though, because from behind him, Kyoutani is laughing. 

_ Laughing.  _

“You’re SO whipped, oh my God,” Watari teases in Yahaba’s ear, observing the starstruck expression on his friend’s face. 

Yahaba slams an elbow back into Watari’s gut, and he yelps. “Shut up.” 

Kyoutani gives one last snort before walking away from them at Iwaizumi’s call for help. “See you after school,” he says to Yahaba, who just nods. 

Watari snickers as he’s leaving. “Is this a  _ date  _ I’m hearing about?” He waggles his eyebrows suggestively, and Yahaba jolts. 

“No, Watari! It’s not a--” Yahaba lets out an agitated breath. “I hate you.” 

The libero just grins at him, dodging Yahaba’s outreached hand. “You  _ love  _ me. I made him laugh!” 

Yahaba growls. “At my expense!” 

Watari rolls his eyes. “Are you seriously telling me it wasn’t worth it?” 

Yahaba falls silent, biting his lip. It  _ was  _ worth it. But it had also lit a match in Yahaba’s heart, the competitive, possessive part of him seeping out ever so slightly. Now that he had seen Kyoutani’s laugh, he  _ really  _ wanted to see it again. 

“ _ Whipped.”  _ Watari darts away before Yahaba can let out another scathing rebuttal. “See you in first period, Yahaba!” 

“Ass.” Yahaba grumbles under his breath. 

***

Thanks to Watari, Yahaba agonizes all day about whether or not his outing with Kyoutani could be considered a date.  _ And if it is, is it a fake one, just part of this circus act that he’d created for himself?  _

_ Or did it mean something?  _


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyoutani and Yahaba go to meet Kyoutani's "friends".  
> They're not so human...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter this time, woohoo!

After what feels like a thousand years of waiting, the bell _finally_ rings. Yahaba’s out of his seat before the teacher even dismisses the class, which garners him many strange looks and a few snickers. 

He sits back down, cheeks burning under the teacher’s heavy glare. 

Once the class is _actually_ dismissed, he’s extra cautious to get up to leave as everyone else is, and exits in the middle of a clump of fellow students. But as soon as he’s out the door, his legs speed up unconsciously and they carry him out to the front gates of Aoba Johsai. 

As he’s scanning his surroundings for a bleached head, Yahaba thinks for a split second that Kyoutani had been pulling his leg. But he quickly shakes that thought out, because Kyoutani would never bother with a task as troublesome as _lying_ if he didn’t want to hang out with Yahaba, and he was probably just hiding somewhere, away from all these people.

Yahaba’s right. He finds Kyoutani slouched behind a wall, a little ways off from where the main crowd of students is. He’s staring intently at his phone, and Yahaba pauses for a second just to stare. 

_No, he’s not ogling, okay? Just...observing._

“Hey, Kyoutani!” Yahaba says casually, not wanting to startle the guy.  
  
Kyoutani’s head snaps up and his eyes widen a little when they land on Yahaba, causing Yahaba to frown. _He didn’t think I’d stand him up, right?_ “Oh. Hey.” 

Yahaba lets out a forced chuckle. “What’s up?” 

Kyoutani tilts his head and regards him seriously. “Nothin’.” 

Yahaba jerks his head up and down. “‘Kay then.” He bites his lip, curiosity getting the better of him. “Is it just us?” 

Kyoutani furrows his brows. “Yeah. That a problem?” The guarded look has returned to his eyes, and Yahaba hates it. 

Yahaba’s confused, but he’s not about to object and ruin this whole thing. Plus...is he really going to complain about spending time alone with Kyoutani? “No, of course not.” 

Kyoutani pockets his phone and straightens up a little, still a bit hunched over though. Yahaba sweeps his own bangs to the side in a nervous habit. “Ready?” 

“As I’ll ever be.” Yahaba responds a little too quickly, as if he’d had the line on the tip of his tongue. _God, I’m so embarrassing._

Kyoutani starts walking off to the student parking lot at a brisk pace, and Yahaba has to push himself to keep up. He nearly trips on a deflated football lying innocently in the grass as Kyoutani leads them on some imaginary, unpaved path-- Yahaba is starting to realize exactly to what lengths Kyoutani will go to avoid human interaction. 

“So, uh, where are we going exactly?” He doesn’t get a response. Well, unless a noncommittal grunt counted as one. 

“C’mon, Kyoutani, I gotta know that you aren’t going to drag me into the middle of nowhere and cut off all my fingers with a butter knife.” 

This gets him a snort. “Who says I won’t?” 

Yahaba pouts, but the effect is lost since Kyoutani can’t see it. “I’m supposed to be your boyfriend, _Kentarou._ You would never.”

Kyoutani just turns his head back just enough so that he can glance at him cryptically. 

They get to Kyoutani’s car, a small, beat up truck with a bike rack hanging off the trunk, and Yahaba takes a moment to survey it. “You know, I bet you’re the type to call your car a ‘she’ and give it a name.” 

Kyoutani frowns at that, and Yahaba pats himself on the back internally, knowing he’s got it right. He smirks, unable to help it- maybe he has picked up on some of Oikawa’s behavioral tendencies after all. 

“Just get’n the car already.” Yahaba’s smirk grows, but he obliges, folding himself into Kyoutani’s faded passenger seat. He tries to ignore how good it smells in the car- something like pine and fresh air. _Totally not how Kyoutani smells._

Yahaba even embraces the scrunched up fried chicken wrapped sitting in the cup holder, because it’s just _so_ Kyoutani. 

But anyways, back to the matter at hand. “I’m right, aren’t I? What’s her name?” 

Kyoutani slams his door shut and aggressively clicks his seatbelt into the lock. “Shut up, Yahaba.” 

Yahaba pouts, half due to the cold response, and half because Kyoutani had said ‘Yahaba’ instead of ‘Shigeru’. But he’d never admit the latter part out loud. “C’mon, I won’t tease you.” 

Kyoutani slides him a disbelieving glare as he shifts the car into reverse. 

“Really. Scouts honor.” 

Kyoutani narrows his eyes. “You were a scout?” 

_Busted._ Yahaba hums, fighting a sheepish grin off his face. “I don’t have to be a scout to mooch off their honor, now do I?” 

Kyoutani’s lips twitch into something like a smile, and Yahaba counts it as a win. “It’s bee.” It takes Yahaba a moment to realize that Kyoutani was talking about the car. 

_Bee? Like..like the insect? Wait..._ Yahaba can’t believe his ears. “What? Did you say ‘bee’?” 

Kyoutani’s ears burn red and Yahaba delights in the fact. “Asshole, y’said you wouldn’t make fun.” 

“I’m not!” Yahaba protests, and waves his hands around earnestly to emphasize his point. “It’s just, I mean, did you do that on purpose?” 

Kyoutani growls. “If y’mean, did I name my own damn car ‘bee’ to indulge some shitty joke about my hair, no, I fuckin’ didn’t.” 

Yahaba snickers behind his hand. “Okay, so you _do_ know the implications behind it.” 

“I ain’t stupid.” 

Feeling devious, Yahaba remains pointedly silent and looks out the side window. The hairs on the back of his neck rise when Kyoutani’s deathly glare burns into the side of his head. 

“I _ain’t._ ” 

Yahaba relents, laughing. “I know. It’s a cute name.” Yahaba frowns. “Dunno why you chose it for this truck though.” 

Kyoutani scowls, returning his gaze to the road. Yahaba takes the opportunity to survey their surroundings. They’re driving towards the city center, so Yahaba assumes that they’d be meeting the others (whoever these elusive friends of Kyoutani’s are, at least) at some rendezvous point. 

Yahaba’s imagination gets the better of him, and he starts to speculate. Are these friends older, perhaps? He vaguely remembers hearing about Kyoutani’s past membership at some volleyball neighborhood club… 

Or maybe they go to a different school? Kyoutani isn’t that new of a student, but it’s still possible.. 

Maybe Kyoutani is even part of a gang. Yahaba frowned at himself for even thinking of it. Kyoutani is _not_ a delinquent. 

“Oi. We’re here.” 

Yahaba blinks, and indeed, they’re sitting in a parking lot, and Kyoutani is already exiting the car. “O-oh!” 

Yahaba struggles to wrench his seatbelt from the stubborn lock and climbs out of the car a little late, to find Kyoutani waiting for him impatiently halfway down the parking lot. 

Yahaba jogs to catch up and wags a finger at him. “Didn’t even open the door for your boyfriend, shame on you.” 

A second later he thinks that maybe he should stop bringing up this “boyfriend” thing. 

Kyoutani doesn’t seem bothered, though. He merely gives Yahaba his usual scowl, even having the decency to turn a little pink. “Figured you’re more than capable enough to open a fuckin’ door.” 

Well, when he puts it that way...Yahaba smiles to himself. “Eloquent.” 

Kyoutani snorts. “Yeah, ‘s me.” 

Their conversation fades and Yahaba takes the opportunity to actually get a look at where they’re going. They’re headed towards a collection of shops, big and small alike. He spots a karaoke bar, colorful sign flashing, on the right, but he doubts that Kyoutani’s going there. He spots multiple restaurants, but it’s 3 in the afternoon- hardly a time for eating. 

It only takes 20 seconds of walking for Yahaba to narrow down the options, and it’s hardly a surprise when he realizes that they’re headed straight towards the local animal shelter. 

“Oh my god,” He gasps when they reach the sliding doors. “You have friends at the animal shelter? Do you volunteer here or something?” 

Kyoutani pauses with his hand on the handle, and glances at him carefully, trying to gauge Yahaba’s expression. “Yeah. So what?” An edge seeps into Kyoutani’s voice. 

Yahaba grins, but his heart twists inside. _He always looks so on_ **edge**... Yahaba blurts the first cringey thing that comes to mind. “That’s rad.” 

It has the desired effect. Kyoutani turns a satisfying shade of red, his shoulders relax, and Yahaba bursts into laughter. “You’re so fuckin’ embarrassing..” He mutters, pulling the door open. 

There’s a split second where Kyoutani doesn’t move, and neither does Yahaba, but then- _Oh, he’s holding the door for me._

Yahaba bites the inside of his cheek to clamp down a giddy smile, and masks the awkwardness of the moment by digging an elbow into Kyoutani’s side on his way in. “Says you.” 

Kyoutani just grunts in return and follows Yahaba inside. 

As he steps into the shelter, the first thing Yahaba thinks is, _warm._ The room is warm, much warmer than the chilly air outside, and Yahaba relaxes instantly. The second thing he thinks is, _noisy._ He can hear the sounds of what must be at least a hundred animals, together-- mewls, barks, chirps, and shouts, all meshing together in a crazy cacophony of background noise.

Yahaba is surprised that Kyoutani would willingly choose to spend his time in such a loud environment. 

“Oy oy oy, who’s this, Kyou-bro?” A tall guy with a messy shock of black hair and easygoing posture wanders over, raising an eyebrow at the sight of Yahaba. He seems to be smirking, but Yahaba doesn’t know whether or not that’s just the way his facial features are. 

Plus...Yahaba swears he looks a little familiar, but he can’t place why...The giant apron the guy was wearing with blocked letters of the shelter’s name was probably throwing him off, too. 

Kyoutani glances at Yahaba, turns curiously pink, and scowls. He clears his throat. “Stop calling me that, Kuroo. And uh..this is Yahaba.” 

“Nice to meet you,” Yahaba greets smoothly, turning his Oikawa-charm on (yes, that’s what Yahaba has started calling it in his head) and flashing a well-practiced smile. 

It bounces right off of Kuroo, and Yahaba’s “charm” withers away at the calculating gleam in his eye. _Effectiveness: 0._ Looks like Yahaba still has a long way to go.

“Oh? And what relation do you have with our dear Kyou over here, hm?” 

Still caught off guard by Kuroo’s blatant disregard for typical politeness, Yahaba opens his mouth to stutter out a response, but Kyoutani beats him to it. “He’s my, uh, boyfriend.” 

Yahaba’s jaw drops. _Huh? But we...but nobody from Seijoh is even here!_ He knows that his reaction is hardly a convincing one, but, in his defense-- he never would have thought that Kyoutani would be the one to admit their relationship status (fake or not). 

Even Kuroo seems taken aback, and he blinks a few times. “Boyfriend, huh? How come this is the first I’ve heard of this guy?” 

Kyoutani narrows his eyes. “Don’t make it seem like I even talk to you.” His voice is edging on the defensive, and Yahaba fights an amused smile. At least he knows that Kyoutani doesn’t solely reserve his prickly nature for the Seijoh volleyball team...that’s just the way he is. 

Kuroo places a hand on his heart, grinning lazily. “You wound me.” Kuroo slides his attention back to Yahaba. “You’re really dating this guy?” He jerks a thumb at Kyoutani. 

Said “guy” growls, and Yahaba grins, still floating from being called Kyoutani’s boyfriend. _It’s fake, Shigeru._ “Yeah, I mean..” It’s almost criminal how easy it is to say it. “He has his own charm, don’t you think?” 

Yahaba looks over at Kyoutani in a fake show of fondness, but he’s not expecting him to already be staring at Yahaba in surprise. “Um..” All too soon, Kyoutani looks away and Yahaba catches sight of the back of Kyoutani’s neck, which is rapidly turning pink. 

Kuroo smirks knowingly, and Yahaba gets the odd feeling that he’s been played. 

“Sure, if being an asshole is charming.” 

Kyoutani huffs and starts to stalk away, Kuroo chuckling as he does so. Yahaba hurries after him, snickering, and he waves back at Kuroo. “It was nice to meet you!” He shouts half-heartedly before turning back around and jogging up to Kyoutani’s side. 

“Have fun on your date!” Is the answering reply, just faint enough for Yahaba to hear. Yahaba fights off his incoming blush. _Fake_ date. 

“Nice coworker you got,” Yahaba teases in an attempt to distract himself, elbowing Kyoutani. 

“He’s a pain. They’re all a pain.” Kyoutani bites out in response. It’s obvious, though, that Kyoutani doesn’t hate them..Yahaba can see it in his eyes. 

_He’s glaring, but it’s not the murderous glare,_ Yahaba muses in his head. 

“Oh right, why’d you tell him that we’re, y’know..?” Yahaba lowers his voice. 

Kyoutani turns his head away. “ Whad’ya mean, you’re the one who said to start this fake-datin’ thing.” 

Yahaba hides his smile under his hand. “Yeah, but there aren’t Seijoh people here, right?” 

Silence stretches between them. 

“...Shut up, Yahaba.”

His heart does an irrational flip flop. Right, as if he’d shut up _now._ “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re actually enjoying this whole ‘dating me’ thing, hm, _Kentarou?_ ” 

Kyoutani’s response comes before Yahaba is even done talking. “Well you do know better.” 

If it was anyone else, Kyoutani’s venomous tone would be enough to shut them up (possibly for good), but Yahaba merely laughs and shoves at his shoulder. 

“Oh, so now you’re praising my intellect, _Kentarou?”_

Kyoutani pauses in his angry stride to glower at him in disbelief. “Unbelievable.” 

This just makes Yahaba crack up even harder, and he has to stop walking to catch his breath. “It’s just too easy to mess with you, Kyoutani.” 

To that, Kyoutani grumbles incoherently and rolls his eyes. “Whatever. Hurry up.” 

Yahaba starts walking again, an extra spring in his step that is bound to annoy Kyoutani. “So if Kuroo isn’t your friend, who is? It’s someone here, right?”

“Not someone.” Is Kyoutani’s cryptic response, and Yahaba frowns. 

“Huh?” 

“Not people.” _A helpful elaboration._

“Then...what?” 

“Animals.” 

_Oh._

Yahaba mulls over that, and Kyoutani doesn’t elaborate as they push further into the shelter, past the elaborate cat towers, around the fish and turtle tanks, and under the swinging bird perches.

It doesn’t take long before Yahaba realizes exactly where they’re headed-- the loudest and largest section of the shelter-- the dogs. 

Yahaba refrains from laughing (the irony is not lost on him, after all), but he can’t stop grinning as Kyoutani scans his ID to enter a room full of dogs, some barking at the sight of him, others turning away uninterestedly. 

Kyoutani pushes the door open and looks back at Yahaba, inclining his head in a haphazard invitation to enter. 

“Are you sure I’m allowed? I don’t have an ID-”

“Forgot you were such a goody two shoes,” Kyoutani cuts him off, and Yahaba glares. 

“That’s not a bad thing,” He snips defensively. Sure, he respects (and _may_ be a stickler about) the rules. Why shouldn’t he? Rules were there for a reason, right? 

Kyoutani merely shrugs his shoulders. “Your loss.” He steps inside and drops his hand, and the door starts to swing shut. 

Yahaba bites his lip, apologizes to his mother, and lunges forward to grab the door handle before the lock clicks, slipping inside after Kyoutani. “Asshole,” He grumbles, and Kyoutani glances back at him, not one bit surprised. 

_At least he isn’t rubbing it in my face_ , Yahaba thinks to himself in a silent whisper of thanks. 

“Kenma.” Kyoutani says, out of the blue, and Yahaba startles. 

_Kenma? Who-_ Then, Yahaba catches sight of the small silhouette of a guy about their age sitting in the corner, absentmindedly stroking a dog’s head while slipping them a treat. He has ombre hair, cut at about chin length, and when he looks up at the two of them, Yahaba catches sight of amber eyes.

“Hey, Kyou.” 

_Does everyone here call him that?_

Kenma catches Yahaba’s eye, but he still doesn’t speak directly to him. “Who’s this?” 

Kyoutani grunts. “Kuroo said the exact same thing.” 

Kenma crinkles his nose a little at that. “Oh. Sorry.” 

_Sorry?_ Yahaba can’t help but be a little amused. 

Kyoutani glances over at Yahaba again. “This is Yahaba.” Both Kenma and Yahaba wait for an elaboration, but that’s all Kyoutani says. Yahaba’s stomach swoops in disappointment. He never should have said anything to Kyoutani earlier…

_Don’t be stupid, Yahaba. It’s totally reasonable._

Yahaba senses that it’s his turn to speak. “Yeah, nice to meet you.” He offers Kenma a small, but genuine smile, and gets one in return. 

“ ‘m just…” Kyoutani clears his throat. “Showing ‘im around.” 

“Ok.” Kenma nods once before standing up leisurely and putting his treat bag away on a shelf. Yahaba is struck by how similarly fluid his and Kuroo’s actions are-- he can’t help but wonder if they’re close. Family, maybe? Best friends? 

Kenma gives them a short wave before pushing the door open and leaving, and Yahaba’s gaze lingers on the back of his shirt, which says, “Nekoma High School”. Nekoma...Nekoma volleyball team…

“He and Kuroo both play vb for Nekoma,” reminds Kyoutani curtly, and it all clicks in Yahaba’s mind. 

“Ohhh,” Yahaba smacks his hand to his forehead. “That’s why they seemed so familiar!” 

Kyoutani just raises one eyebrow at him. “Yeah. They’re best friends.” 

Ah, so Yahaba was right. “That’s it?” He muses, mostly to himself, but Kyoutani turns to face him, surprised. “Hm?”

“What’dya mean, ‘it’?”

Yahaba fidgets uncomfortably. He hadn’t intended his words to become the object of the conversation, but… “Uh,” hell, he didn’t even know if Kyoutani was homophobic or not. 

As soon as he thinks that, Yahaba wants to punch himself in the face. _He literally agreed to fake date you, stupid._ “I just meant, are they...y’know, dating?”

Kyoutani blinks, eyes widening for a second, before a scowl creeps back onto his features. “Uh- How the hell would I know?” He snaps, and Yahaba’s head spins at the change in tone. 

“I don’t know, you volunteer here with them? That kind of stuff should be pretty obvious?” Yahaba clips defensively, not expecting the aggression in Kyoutani’s answer. “It was just a question, geez.” 

Growling slightly, Kyoutani turns away from him and walks to the far corner of the room. Yahaba remains standing still in his spot, frowning, unsure whether to follow him or… He looks down at the scottish terrier pawing at his shoe. 

He’s not _really_ a dog person, but they’re cute, he supposes.

Across the room, Kyoutani crouches down (Yahaba doesn’t look _there,_ nope), reaches into his pocket for a dog treat, and holds it out towards an old German Shepherd that’s lying lazily in the corner.

Yahaba, realizing that Kyoutani wasn’t going to give him further instruction, cautiously makes his way over, trying desperately not to step on a tail or paw. 

“Who’s that?” He asks softly once he reaches Kyoutani’s side. The old dog looks up at him curiously for all of half of a second before laying her head down on the ground again. 

Kyoutani heaves a sigh. “Her name is Bailey, and she’s been at this shelter longer than I have.” He scowls. “Nobody ever wants to adopt her since she’s only expected to live another year or so.” 

Yahaba frowns along with him. “That’s...bad.” He pauses, finishing awkwardly. _Bad, but understandable._

Kyoutani nods jerkily. “Some of the shitholes working ‘ere wanted to put her down, sayin’ she’s just a ‘burden’.” 

Sitting down carefully on the floor next to Bailey, Yahaba reaches out to stroke the top of her head gently. “That’s stupid. Isn’t this an animal shelter?” 

A beat of strange silence stretches between them, causing Yahaba to look up at Kyoutani for a reaction. Only to find that Kyoutani is already looking at him, with an expression Yahaba’s never seen him wearing before. 

It’s almost...curious. 

Yahaba flushes, unused to the attention. “What’s up with that look?” 

His words seem to snap Kyoutani out of it, and the other boy coughs. “Nothin’. Yeah. ‘S stupid.” 

The heavy topic dissipates as Yahaba continues to pat at the top of Bailey’s head, a strange comfort washing over him. Kyoutani shifts out of his crouching position to sit on the floor next to Yahaba, tossing treats to random dogs in large, lazy arcs.

Yahaba’s never been the kind to stay silent for long. “So, is Bailey the friend you were talking about?” He teases, unrelenting. 

Thankfully, it doesn’t rub Kyoutani the wrong way, and he snorts. “Why not.” 

Yahaba peers at him slyly. “You talk to her? Like your very own counselor?” 

Kyoutani’s lips twitch up. “Yeah.” Yahaba can’t tell if he’s joking or not, but knowing Kyoutani’s “people suck” mentality, he probably isn’t. 

“That’s adorable. You ever talk about me?” Yahaba reaches out with his elbow to land a jab, but Kyoutani shifts away. Reaction time impeccable, as an ace should be. Yahaba struggles between pride and offense. 

“Hell no.” 

Yahaba grins easily and returns his gaze back to Bailey. “You totally do.” He’s joking, but Kyoutani’s silence causes Yahaba’s grin to fall flat and his heart to stutter. 

_Oh my god, does he really?_

“...Only ‘bout how annoying you are.” Kyoutani grumbles, slowly. 

Yahaba grins again, but this time it’s goofy and uncontrolled. “Shut up, that’s no way to talk to your _boyfriend_.” 

Kyoutani scoffs. “ ‘Scuse you, I’m a fuckin’ awesome boyfriend.” 

Raising an eyebrow at the bolder-than-he-thought-Kyoutani-could-be sentence, Yahaba bites his lip to keep from laughing. “We’ll see.” 

His heart lifts at the way Kyoutani jabs his forehead, scowling. It almost feels like... _friendship._

Yahaba pretends not to notice how his response doesn’t sound anything like the insult he’d intended for it to be-- instead, it sounds like a promise. 


End file.
